Signaling device for motor vehicles



March 23 192s. 1,577,707

J. A. FOX 7 SIGNALING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed March 24, 1924 7 Fl" l 4- 7 8 3? fi s z6--- 17 15 1 H O E q. 7 4-5 Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

UNITED; STATES Parser orr cs.

JAMES A. Fox, on WARREN, OHIO;

SIGNALING- nnvIoE' non, Moron vE-H'Iorins.

Ap' plic atio nfiled March 24, 19241 Se'ria1-N0'.- 701,321.

type described, which is operable to selectively signali'ze to the operator" of an ap preaching, passing or following vehicle, the intentions of the driver relative to intended operations or movement of his vehicle, un der such conditions eliminating confusion and minimizing accidents ordinarily attend ing the operation of motor vehicles.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a signal device of the character stated, which embodies manifold signals, which is readily discernible during daylight and especially at night, and which will simultaneously indicate the same signals on both its front and rear faces.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the class stated, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable andetficient in its use, positive in its action, attractive in appearance,

and coi'nparatively inexpensive to manu facture.

To the accomplishment ofthese and'such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement ofparts here'- in specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing" wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended. V In the drawing forming a portion of this specification and wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding .parts throughout the several view. V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a signaling device in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view there- V i Figure 3 is a vertica-l'view of the lens member. f p

a sectional view on line Figure; .d is I, U JV, Figure 3.

A Figure 5 is a sectional View on line VV, Figure 2. j I p j j i Y Figure Sis a diagrammatic view of the wiring and operating mechanism of the device.

Figure 7 lamp operating mechanism. p A

Referring in detail. to the drawing 1 denotes asupporting bracket adapted to be secured to the side of an automobile in any is an enlarged detail view of the.

suitable manner and including an upper horizontal arm 2 and a lower horizontal arm 'lhe upper horizontal arm 2 is provided with an enlarged outer end formed with a large opening t, and the lower horizontal arm 3 is provided with a similar enlarged outer end but formed with a" pocket 5. The lower arm 3 is hollow, providing the chamber 6 which communicates with the pocket 5.

The inner portion of the. top edge of the wall ot the pocket- 5 is formed with. a recess 7 in which the lower end of the vertically disposed cylindrical casing 8 is seated. j ."lhe casing- 8 is mounted in the bracket 1 by insorting it through the large opening 4 inthe upper arm 2, and when in position the top edge'of the casing 8 is flush with the top face of thefupper bracket arm E2. The casing. 8 i

ment by the cover plate 9, which latter also serves as a closure for the opening t, and is securedin position by. the arm 10. 1

ThecasingS is provided with a pair of vertically disposed elongated lenses 11 which are mounted in respective openings provided the-reforin the wall of the casing 8. The lenses 11; arediametrically disposed relatively to eachotlier in the casing 8, and are respectively positioned in the front and rear of the casing 8 with respect to the position of the vehicle to which the device is at taclied. Thelenses 11 may be of any desired colors, but preferably the rear lens is red, and the front lens is white. i a

An elongated hexagon shaped hollow signal cylinder 12 is shiftably mounted in the casing 8. The signalcylinder 12 is open at its top and has a reduced lower end which is fixed in a cup 13'. The latter seats on the boss 14, formed centrallyon the bottom of the pocket 5, and is pivotallyconnected to thevboss 14 by. means of the bolt 14'.

each of onepafir of flat sides 15, diametricaldesignation Stop. Each of another pair,

of opposed flat sides 16 is formed with the vertically disposed signal designation Right and each of the other pair of op posed l'lat sides 17 is formed with the vertically disposed signal designation Left.

The cup 13 is formed with three laterally projecting apertured ears 18, 19 and 20. The ears 13 and 19 are diametrically opposed with respect to each other and each is dis posed to align centrally with respective flat side on which the signal designation Ste 3 is formed. The car is disposed at right angles with respect to the ears 18 and 19 and extends inwardly toward the chamber 6 formed in the lower arm 3 of the supporting bracket 1.

A spiral spring 21 is mounted in the chanr 361' 6 and has one end thereof attached to the apertured ear 20 and the other end to an apertured lug iormed on therinner wall of the chamber 6. The action of the spring 21 will normally hold the signal cylinc er 12 in a position to keep the fiat sides 15 thereof, respectively, disposed in front and rear vith respect to the position of the vehicle to which the device is attached. In other words, the action of the spring 21 will normally keep the signal designations Stop in registration with the lenses 11 carried respectively on the front and rear of the casing 8.

The lamp 23 is fixed to and carried by the cover plate 9 and depends into the signal cylinder 12. The conductor 24: connects the lamp 23 with the ammeter of the motor vehicle, in the usual manner, and is provided with an operating switch 25 commonly se cured to the undertace of the vehicle body bottom. The switch 25 has a depending actuating lever 26 which is "connected to the brake rod 27 by means of a pull rod 28 and 'bracket 29, as clearly shown in Figure 5,

of the drawing. By operating the brake pedal 30, in the usual mannerythe switch 25 will function to illuminate the lamp 23 and signal designations Stop as the latter are normally in registration with the lenses in the casing 8.

The operating mechanism for my improved device is preferably mounted on-the instrument board of the motor vehicle and includes a dial plate' 31 bearing the letters R S and L, which represent Right, Stop, and Left, respectively, and are indicated at 32, 33 and 34:.

A shifting lever 35 is pivotally mounted on the dial plate by means of a shaft 36,

which is fixed to the lever by its hub 35 and extends forwardly through the instrument board, in which it is suitably journaled.

he forward end 01 the shaft 36 carries three arms 37, 38 and 39 fixed thereto. The

latter arm 39 is disposed to depend parallel with respect to the shifting lever 35, and the .arms 37 and 38 are disposed horizontally to cars 18 and 19.

-41 resilient arcuate locking member is carried by the dial plate 30 and is formed with a pair of spaced catches 45 and 46, which are adapted to engage and secure the shifting lever 35 against the pull of the spring 21 mounted in the chamber 6 of the lower arm 3,'in the manner to be described.

A pair of vertically disposed steps 47 are formed integrally with the bottom of the pocket 5 and are adapted to engage respective cars 13 and 19 to limit the movement of the signal cylinder 12 in either direction when the latter has been properly positioned to bring the signal designation Right on the flat sides 17, or to the signal designations Left onthe flat sides 16 into registration with the lenses 11 of the easing 8.

In practice the operation of the signaling device .is as tollowsz Assuming that all parts of the device are in the position shown in the drawing, the depression of. the service brake 30 will operate the switch 25 to illuminate the lamp 23 causing the display of the signal designations Stop which is normally in registration with the lenses 11 due to the action of spring 21. This operation is identical to the operation of the commonly used stop signals now on the market. Q

When it is desired to display the signal designation Right, the operator will shift the lever 35 into the catch 16 and the indicator 40 will be directed to the dial letter 32. The shifting of the lever 35 willactuate the arm 37 to slacken the pull member as, but the pull member 43, connected to the arm 38 and the apertured car 19, will be actuated to rotate the signal cylinder 12 until the car 18 abuts against its stop 47 thereby positioning the signal designation 1 Right in registration with the lenses 11 of the casing 8.

During the shifting operation of the lever 35, as above described, the arm 39 connected with the switch lever 26 by the flexible member 41, will actuate the switch 25 to illuminate the lamp 23, simultaneously with the positioning of the signal casing 2 to the posi tion desired. The signal designation Right will remain displayed until the loo lever 35 is manually released from the catch 46, allowing the spring 21 to again position the signal casing 12 in the normal position.

The operation of positioning the signal designation Left is identical to that above described with the exception that the lever 35 and associated parts are shifted in the opposite direction to cause the partial rotation of the signal casing 12 in the other direction.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the principle of construction and the method or operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while describing what is now thought to be the best embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the device shown in the drawing is merely illustrative, and that various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

hat I claim is In combination, a signaling apparatus for motor vehicles comprising a bracket includ ing a horizontally dispose-d upper arm and a horizontally disposed lower arm, said upper arm having an enlarged outer end formed with a large opening and said lower arm having an enlarged outer end, a cylindrical casing mounted on the said enlarged outer end of said lower arm and extending vertically into the said opening in the enlarged outer end of said upper arm, said casing provided with a pair of vertically extending lenses disposed diametrically relatively to each other on respective front and rear sides of said casing, a vertically disposed cylinder mounted in said casing and rotatably connected to the said enlarged outer end of said lower arm, said cylinder hexagonal-shaped in transverse cross section, corresponding signal designations formed on each pair of diametrically opposed side walls of said cylinder, a cover plate for said casing secured to the enlarged outer end of said upper bracket arm, an illuminating lamp carried by said cover plate and depending into said cylinder, a spring member carried in saidlower bracket arm and connected with .said cylinder for normally maintaining a pair otopposed designations in registration with said lenses means for shifting said cylinder in said casing to selectively position the other of said designations in registration with said lenses, means for illuminating said lamp, and means for limiting the shittable movement of said cylinder in said casing,'substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofI atlix my signature. v

JAMES A. FOX. 

